Loose leaf binder



April 5, D CQTTRELL LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Nov. 14, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTOR. .6 5 5 By flaw/v0} 0772/14 A TTORNEY.

April 5, 1932. COTTRELL 1,852,701

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Nov. 14, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. x/fam/w Z Car/72:4

A TTORNE Y.

April 5, 1932. H. D. COTTRELL LOOSE LEAF BINDER Fil'ed Nov. 14, 1929 3Sheets-Sheet 3 eff/0 JCOEE 20 /9 7 I N VEN TOR.

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Patented Apr. 5, 1932 HOLLAND D. COTTLRELL; F DETROITQMIOHIGAN Loosr.LEAF 31mm Application filed November 14, 1929. Serial No. 407,076

This invention relates to loose leaf binders and the object of theinvention is to provide a loose leaf binder to which covers of any typemay bereadily attached.

Another object of the invention is to provide a binder in which thebinding element is built up and may be sold to printers to be fastenedin covers, made up by the printers for individual clients with anyprinting on the cover required by the clients.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement whereby thesheets may be readily removed or replaced within the binder.

These objects and the several novel features of the invention arehereinafter more fully described and claimed and the preferred form ofconstruction by which these objects are attained is shown in theaccompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a looseleaf binder embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the binding member before the covers areattached.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the binder showing the opposite side to thatshown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the'binder as attached to thebinder cover.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the binder show ing the binder board in place.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken on line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section similar to Fig. 3 taken through the binder with thepaper sheets and binder board in place.

Fig. 9 shows how the paper sheets and binder board are notched to fitover the binder straps.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged section similar to Fig. 3 showing the flap inposition to receive the binder board in the binder.

Fig. 11 is a similar view showing the bind- 5 er board in position.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 showing the binder cover secured inposition.

Fig. 13 is a section showing the first step in securing the binder coverto thebinder.

The binder is shown more particularly in Fig. 2 and consists of a binderback 1 to which the covers are attached to form the completed binder.This binder, as shown in Fig. 2, comprises the binder back 1 which isprovided with a return-bent flap 2 as shown in Fig. 3. A fabric strap 3is provided at the top and bottom of the binder and these straps 3 aresecured between the flap 2 and the binder back 1 by the wire fasteners4.

Two extra wire fasteners 5 are also inserted through the flap 2 tofirmly secure the flap to the binder back at the ends. At the oppositeedge of the binder a flap 6 is inturned and the straps 3 are positionedbetween the flap 6 and a stiffening strip 7 as shown in Fig. 3 and wirefasteners 8 are clipped through the flap 6, straps 3, stifiening member7 and the binder back 1. As will be noted from Fig. 4 the binder back iscut out at 9 to provide two tongues 10 through which the wire clips 8are fastened and the binder back is scored at 11 so as to fold alongthis line. Thus when the flap 6 is lifted, as shown in Fig. 10, thebinder back bends along the score 11 so that the flap 6, stiffeningstrip 7 and tongue 10 are in 75 spaced relation with the binder back 1and as this lifting movement of the flap 6 is forward the straps 3 areslack when in this position. When the binder has been arranged in theposition shown in Fig. 10 a binder board 12 having notches 13 ispositioned over the straps 3 and the binder board, as shown in Fig. 11,is moved into engagement with the end 23 of the binder. This takes upthe slack in the straps 3 and the portion of the'straps 3 between thestiffening strip 7 and the binder board 12" is the portion of the binderwhich carries the paper sheets. To lock the binder board 12 in placethis board is provided with a portion 14 shown in Fig. 6 which isinserted beneath the flap 2between the straps 3 and as this is a fiberboard a finger hole 15 is pro.- vided by which the board may begraspe'd'and bent slightly to insert the end 14 beneath the o6 fla 2.

To insert the paper sheets in the binder the finger is inserted in theopening 15 in the fiber board 12 and by bendingthis board slightly theend 1 1 may be disengaged from beneath the flap 2 at which timethe board12 may be drawn outwardly along the straps 3 so that the straps 3 arethen slack. The paper sheets for use in the binder areprovided withnotches 13 to fit over the straps 3 as shown in Figs. 6 and 9, the sameas the binder board 12. A number of these sheets are engaged over thestraps 3 between the binder board 12 and the stiffening strip 7 and thebinder board is then moved back against the end 23 of the binder thusputting the straps 3 under tension and forcing the paper sheets toposition on the straps 3 between the stiffening strip 7 and the fiberboard 12, as will be understood from Figs. 8 and 12. These paper sheets16, as shown in Fig. 1, extend to the outer edge of the binder and itwill be seen that by disengaging the binder board 12, the straps 3 maybe slackened at any time to allow removal or addition of paper sheets.These binders are made up without covers as shown and are shipped fiatin the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and the binder boards 12 are shippedseparate from the binders but in the same pack age therewith.

These binders are usually sold to printers so that the printers may puttheir own covers thereon. For this purpose a cover 17 is provided whichis scored with three parallel lines 20, 21 and 22 as shown in Figs. 5,12 and 13 and the binder, as shown in Fig. 10, is positioned in thecover with the end 23 registering with the scores 20 and 21 as shown. Itwill be noted that the back 1 of the binder is provided with fourapertures 18 and as shown in Fig. 13 these apertures 18 allow the wirefasteners 19 to be inserted therethrough and through the stiffeningstrip 7 and flap 6 and cover 17 to secure the cover to the binder. Whenthis has been done the cover is bent at the score marks 20 and 21 tobring the cover around the binder as shown in Fig. 12. At this time theloose sheets may be inserted in the binder and the board 12 positionedin looking position at which time the binder is ready for use. The frontof the binder cover may be then bent from the score 22 as shown in Fig.1 at which time the sheets are available for use. The advantages of thisbinder are that the binders may be shipped flat in large quantities andthe printers can make up the covers for individual customers of anydesired material and with any printing desired thereon so that theprinter is able to sell his customer a complete binder arranged for hisindividual use.

This device is also adapted for use in hospitals in which each binder isused to contain the record sheets of a certain patient. In this type ofuse the binder is used without the covers and where a large institutionis equipped with these binders a supply of binder boards 12 are kept onhand at different collecting points where the records of the cases aremade up or filed. For instance,cone hospital may use five hundred binderor stiffening boards 12 which may be made of hard fiber or even metal,if desired, and at the same time the hospital may have five thousandbinders. In this use a binder, as shown in Fig. 2, is taken out of stockand the difi'erent record sheets are then inserted in the binder and thebinder board is then positioned in the binder to hold the record sheetsin place. After the record is completed and the patient discharged fromthe hospital the binder board is removed and the binder which is offlexible material may be then rolled up with the record sheets thereinand placed in a carrier in a pneumatic tube system by which it isconveyed to the filing otfice and the binders are there filed in thedifferent files without the binder boards therein. In this use thebinders, of course, can be made up very cheap ly and the binder boardsare made of more permanent material such as hard fibre or metal so as tostand a great amount of use.

From the foregoing description it becomes evident that the device isvery simple and efficient in operation, will not easily get out oforder, may be very cheaply made and pro vides a device whichaccomplishes the objects described.

Having thus fully described my invention, its utility and mode ofoperation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is- 1. In a loose leaf binder, a binder back having areturn-bent flap at one edge, an inturned flap at the opposite edge ofthe binder back, a stiffening strip secured to the inturned flap, a pairof straps secured at one end between the stifi'ening strip and inturnedflap, the opposite ends of the straps being secured between thereturn-bent flap and the binder back, the straps being adapted toreceive a series of sheets notched to engage thereover, a binder boardnotched to engage over the straps and movable beneath the inturned flapto bindingly engage the sheets on the straps between the binder boardand the stiffening strip, the binder board being provided with a portioninsertible beneath the return bent flap between the two straps to holdthe binder board in binding position,

and a binder cover secured to the said inturned flap and stiffeningstrip and providing a cover for the binder.

2. A. loose leaf binder comprising a binder back having a return-bentflap at one edge, an inturned flap at the opposite edge of the binderback, a pair of straps secured to the inturned flap at one end and tothe return bent flap at the opposite end, the straps being normallyslack, a series of sheets notched to engage over the straps and a binderboard notched to engage over the straps beneath the said sheets, thebinder board being adapted to be moved to position beneath the inturnedflap to take up the slack in the straps and bindingly hold the sheetsbetween the v flap at the opposite edge of the binder back,

a pair of straps secured atone end to the inturned flap, the oppositeends of the straps being secured between the return-bent flap and thebinder back, the straps being adapted to receive a series of sheetsnotched to engage thereover, a binder board notched to engage over thestraps and movable beneath the inturned flap to bindingly engage thesheets on the straps between the binder board and the inturned flap, thebinder board being provided with a portion insertible beneath thereturn-bent flap to hold it in position, and a binder cover secured tothe said inturned flap.

4. In a loose leaf binder comprising a rectangular binder back having aninturned flap at each vertical edge, one flap being secured to thebinder back and the other flap being free, a pair of straps secured inspaced relation to the free flap, the opposite ends of the straps beingsecured between the other flap and the binder back, a fiber binder boardnotched to fit over the straps, a series of sheets notched to fit overthe straps and positioned between the binder board and the free flap,the said binder board being adapted to be moved into position beneaththe free flap to bindingly engage the sheets on the straps between thefree flap and the binder board, and means for securing the binder boardin position in the binder.

5. In a loose leaf binder, a binder back having a return-bent flap atone edge secured thereto, an inturned flap at the opposite edge of thebinder back, a pair of straps secured at one end to the inturned flap,the opposite ends of the straps being secured between the return-bentflap and the binder back, the straps being adapted to receive a seriesof sheets notched to engage thereover, a binder board notched to engageover the straps and movable beneath the inturned flap to bindinglyengage the sheets on the strap between the binder board and the inturnedflap.

6. In a loose leaf binder, a binder back having an inturned flap at oneedge, a pair of straps secured at one end to the inturned flap, theopposite ends of the straps being secured to the binder back, the strapsbeing adapted to receive a series of sheets notched to engage thereover,a binder board notched to engage over the straps and movable beneath theinturned flap to bindingly engage the sheets on the straps between thebinder board and the inturned flap 7. In a loose leaf binder, a binderback, a pair of straps secured at one end to the said back, the strapsbeing adapted to receive a series of sheets notched at one edge toengage thereover, a binder board notched at one edge to engage over thestraps and being movable toward the secured ends of said strap to bindthe series of sheets on the back, and means for detachably holding thebinder board in binding position the opposite ends of the straps beingsecured to the binder back at a distance from the first-named endswhereby the straps are held substantially taut by the binder board onmovement thereof to binding position.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification.

HOLLAND D. OOTTRELL.

